Axle construction.



m r 1/ W a. w. YATES.

AXLE cows'rRupmm. APPLICATION FILED AFR.8, 19I5= 1 1%3 Patented June 15, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I GEORGE W. YATES, OF GRIFFINSBURG, VIRGINIA.

AXLE CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Phtented June 15, 1915.

Application filed April 8, 1515. 7 Serial No. 20,037.

To all 1 171 Ont it may concern:

Be it knoav-n that I. GEORGE W. YATES, a

citizen of theUnited States, residing at Grillinsburg, in the county of Culpeper and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Axle Constructions, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improve ments in axle constructions, and particularly to that type-known as divided car axles, the essence of the invention lying in the provision of special coupling means for the axle sections constituting primarily in com-' bination, a secti nal sleeve surrounding the axle sections and tapering or inclining toward its extremities, clamping members movably mounted upon said sleeve and con-. necting means intermediate the clamping members for moving the same longitudinally of the sleeve for the purpose of clamping its sections tightly together.

It is further comprehended as an object of this device to dispose the clamping means upon the sleeve construction in such a manner as to best equalize the clamping action at diii'erent points and to this end a plurality of clamping members are arranged adjacent to the ends and intermediate the length of the sleeve, draw rods connecting the intermediate members and other similar rods connecting the end members, the last mentioned rods cooperating with the intermediate clamping members so as to maintainvall ofsaid clamping members in proper alinement.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and claimed.

Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation of the embodiment of my invention: Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view therethrough, the

car wheels being omitted; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views taken onthe respective lines 3-3; 4%; and 55, of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a section of the coupling sleeve; Fig. 7 is a similar view of one of the axle sections; Fig. 8 is a verti cal sectional view through the axle construction and showing more clearly the tongue and groove formation of the sleeve sections;

and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the 1 intermediate clamping collars.

Referring to the drawing and specifically describing the invention, the reference numerals 1 and .2 designate the divided axle sections time in coilperative position are of the standard length of a car axle, each of said lsections having a journal extremity 3 and a wheel or hub-receiving seat 4 adjacent thereto'andiof conventional form. Each -axle section also tapers slightly toward its inner end and terminates at said end in an enlargement or head 5. lhe end face of each of these heads is formed with an annular race to receive the ball bearings 6 and itwill be obvious that when the axle sections 1 and 2 are. in operative-position with their inner extremities substantially abutting, the

coaction of the balls 6 with the races of theheads 5 tends to support the inner ends of the axle in alined position and relieve any strain upon the housing therefor to be more fully described. Surrounding the axle construction just described is a sleeve 7, said sleeve being divided longitudinally and having itsmontiguous edges tongue and grooved to provide for proper alinement of the sleeve sections as well as to most adequately preventescape of the lubricant supplied to the axle sections, as by means of the grease cups 8 with which one of the sections of the sleeve is provided. v

It will be noted that the sleeve 7 tapers or inclines toward its extremities and therefore it is largest in diameter approximately at the center of the axle construction.

The special feature of my invention is the disposition upon the sleeve of clamping members for imparting clamping action to the sleeve sections and such clamping means consist of the clamping rings or collars 9, one of which is disposed adjacent to each extremity of the sleeve, and the intermediate clamping collars 10. The end clamping collars are connected together by means 9f the draw rods 11 extending longitudinally of the sleeve and provided with threaded extremities to receive nuts 12 by means of which the collars may be actuatedor moved longitudinally of the sleeve toward each other and up the inclined or tapering portions of said sleeve, The intermediate collars 10 are connected together by shorter draw rods 13, 13 similar in construction to end V the rods 11 and likewise-designed to impart in relative alined position.

L'Ui- The wheels 1-1 which are shrunk upon the seats 4 of the axle sections, itwill be ob vious may have a differential movement by reason of the division of the axle and this is especially desirable when the cars to which the wheels are attached are moving around curves. The sectional sleeve or shell 7 terminates at its ends at a suflicient distance away from the wheels 14 to enable the collars 9 and 10 to he slipped 011 of the sleeves for displacement of the sleeve sections when desired.

Among the advantageous features of my axle construction is the disposition of. the draw rodsfor the intermediate clamping members to coact at opp site sides of the sleeve sections While the; draw rods for the clamping members are disposed at' points at right angles to the. first mentioned rods, this arrangement resisting quite adequately stresses placed upon the axle construction in operation, due to the employment of a divided axle arrangement.

Having thus described my invention, what claim is; 1

1. The combination, with a divided axle, of coupling means therefor comprising a sectional sleeve surrounding the same, clamping members on said sleeve, and connecting means connecting said clamping members together and" adapted to impart clamping action to the sleeve sections.

2. The combination, with a divided axle, of a divided sleeve surrounding the same, clamping members slidably mounted on said sleeve, and connecting means connecting said clamping members for moving the same longitudinally of the sleeve to impart clamping action to the sleeve sections.

3. The combination, with a divided axle, of a sectional sleeve surrounding the same, clamping collars movably mounted on said sleeve, and connecting means connecting the collars together, comprising draw rods adapted to impart movement to the collars for drawing the sections together.

4. The combination, with a divided axle, of a sectional sleeve surrounding the same and formed with opposite inclinations, clamping menibers mounted on said sleeve adjacent to the end portions of the inclinations, intermediate clamping members, and actuating means connecting the respective clamping members together for drawing the same up the inclinations to impart equalizing clamping action to the sleeve sections.

The combination, with a divided axle, ofv a sectional sleeve surrounding the same and formed with opposite inclinations, clamping members mounted on said sleeves adjacent tothe end portions, intermediate clamping members, actuating means connecting the end clamping members together, and other actuating members connecting the intermediate clamping members together,

the first mentioned actuating means 006perating with the intermediate clamping members to hold all of said clamping members in alined position.

In testimony whereof I afiix iny signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE W. YATES. itnesses A. R. PULLIAM, R. WEIR WATERS. 

